Local News

Iroquois County gives nod to medical pot application

The Iroquois County Board Tuesday voted to approve an application for a medical cannabis cultivation center. The application cites a proposed location in Ash Grove Township, southeast of Onarga.

The application would be one of at least five others that fall within the District 21 Illinois State Police district. The state will allow one such medical facility in each of the state police districts. Three other sites in Kankakee County are in the mix.

Local applicant Jerry Seggebruch brought the issue to the Planning & Zoning Department on behalf of Medical Pharms LLC. (The location is proposed at 1128 N. 12000E Road).

The approval of the application was based on 'it fits for the agricultural zoning' of Ash Grove Township.

Emergency dispatch still a question mark in Iroquois County

Despite all the talk of exploding 9-1-1 management operations in Iroquois County, funding emergency dispatch is still unresolved. And now, the current contracts in place for fire and ambulance service payments will continue.

A two-year plan to keep the funding formula in place was discussed by the Iroquois County Board Policy & Procedure committee Tuesday.

County government, the city of Watseka, and 9-1-1 share the cost of funding the dispatch services....each paying $131, 666. The 9-1-1 portion goes away November 30th. And starting wi9th the new fiscal year, December 1, the county and city take on the cost.

Vermilion County Board will review Wind Ordinance

Open discussion on zoning and the wind ordinance occupied the tiem of Vermilion County Board members. Tuesday evening, the board voted to re-open the discussion over the county's wind farm ordinance. But the board rejected another proposal to investigate establishing county zoning.

Members agreed to review of the county's wind farm ordinance on a 14 – 11 vote in favor. Two board members were absent. The vote to consider county zoning garnered only 4 yes votes. There were 20 voting against. Three were absent.

The vote was not surprising to County Board Chairman Gary Weinard.

Weinard said zoning has never been tolerated in Vermilion County. The problem, he said, we're going to have is melting changes in the wind ordinance without zoning because I think it was pretty clearly detailed tonight that we've gone about as far as we can go under the statutes of the State of Illinois in terms of set-backs and noise.''

Board member Kevin Green was one of those who voted against investigating county zoning. He said 'it's going to create a whole other layer of bureaucracy. It's going to be very expensive. And like it was stated it's really only beneficial in times of when you have great population or business influx, and we don't have that."

Green was named to chair a new committee that will review the county's wind farm ordinance. Chairman Gary Weinard says the committee will meet within 30 days for its organizational session. Then the committee will have 180 days to return its recommendations to the full county board.

Kinzinger votes to protect Illinois farmers

Washington, DC- Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) today released the following statement on the passage of H.R. 5078, the Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014. H.R. 5078 prevents the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from expanding its jurisdiction into state and local waters, which would drastically increase its regulatory influence in rural areas. Congressman Kinzinger is a cosponsor of the bill.

"The last thing that hardworking farmers need are more unnecessary rules and regulations from the federal government," said Kinzinger. "I was proud to cosponsor and vote for a bill that protects Illinois farmers and keeps the EPA out of their way."

In the past year, both the EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers have advanced rulemakings that would expand the definition of "waters of the United States" under the Clean Water Act. H.R. 5078 prohibits the EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers from changing the definition and keeps waterways under state jurisdiction.

Office of Rep. Adam Kinzinger to hold traveling office hours

OTTAWA - The Office of Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R-Channahon) will hold traveling office hours this month throughout the Sixteenth District. Staffers will be available to assist and provide guidance for constituents on issues ranging from Veterans and Social Security benefits to Medicare and immigration issues. Constituents are welcome to come to share their questions and concerns. No appointments are necessary. Below is the full list of the traveling office dates, times, and locations.

Those who cannot attend the traveling office hours but have questions can contact the Ottawa District Office at (815) 431-9271.